Wednesday, June 23, 2004

Ratzin' Fratzin' amazon.com

Trying to order one book for the Father-in-Law - typical belated Father's day. As everyone knows, amazon.com waives shipping and handling fees for certain items (the new stuff essentially) if your total purchase is over $35. Figuring the book was "only" $21, I sought to add two CDs that I had heard on radio this week: Wilco and the Bottle-Rockets. What a deal right? Order one present for someone else, and get two things for ME. I did feel a little greedy.

Go to Check-Out and what - - they slapped on shipping handling fees? OK, the Bottle-Rockets CD is not new enough or popular enough, or whatever, so it doesn't qualify for waived fees. No problem, delete that item from order.

Proceed to Check-Out and, you guessed it, more shipping and handling fees. Seems that my order (minus the Bottle-Rockets) is only $34 and change. Sh*t! Now I'm faced with the choice: Do I find another qualifying item to bump me over $35 thereby saving shipping and handling, or do I eat the shipping/handling? Yes and no.

In the end, I cancelled all "my" stuff and only ordered the book. Even with the shipping/handling fee it was almost $10 off store price. So I really saved - meaning I wasn't "tricked" into buying more than I needed in order to save shipping/handling. Why spend $25 more just to save $4 shipping/handling. I know it's not the American way - too bad.

Now I feel less selfish anyway - I only bought a gift for the truly deserving father-in-law.